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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 122, 23 May 1872, Page 2

To the Editor of the Nexson Evbkikg Mail. Sik, — Mr. launders in his letter of yesterday does not display that gentleness towards opponents which he informed the electors he had been cultivating in England. A trifle of temper is apparent in that letter, and that temper leads him, like Mr. Richmond when he takes a pen in his hand, to say harsh and unjust things of his opponents. It is as offensive as it is unjust for Mr. Saunders to asseit that I stated what I knew to be incorrect, or stooped to inventing imaginary correspondence. What Ido know of the orgab of self-esteem leads me to believe that in a healthy and normal condition it would deter a phrenologist from making accusations of that kind, and have induced a sufficiency of forethought as to whether such accusations would be contradicted. It is not enough for me to say that Mr. Saunders is totally wrong, but I shall briefly prove it out of his own mouth. He says in his letter j— -" No one knows better than the Editor of the Colonist that I did not assert that the debt had increased a million and a half in one year — but that, if Mr. Luckie's figures were correct, it had done so, having previously stated that I thought: -oVlrr,ljuck^'B ''figures ciw'ere not correct, though fair from exaggerated."

In his speech to the eleclors, he said; (and there is no doubt about the strict verbal accuracy of the report) : — "He (Mr. Luckie) had omitted this striking feature that, whilst in ten years' war, our debts were only increased a little more than three millions, we had in one year oj peace incurred a debt of another million and a half . Bad as the war wae, the Yogel Ministry would thus lead us into the same amount of debt in the space of two years." Thus, not only did Mr. Sauuders say that in odo year of peace we had iucurred a debt of another million and a-half, but that in two years it would be three millions additional. The figures I gave were carefully compiled, and before Mr. Saunders is entitled to say they are incorrect, he should be prepared to show the inaccuracy, and that he has failed to do. His own words were quoted, and are quoted now in juxtaposition. I did not invent an imaginary corres^ pondence between Mr. Richmond and Mr. Saunders; and Mr. Saunders must know the fact; for it is a fact that communications did paBB between these candidates, on the subject of arrangements for one of them retiring ; for Mr. Richmond and members of Mr. Saunders' own committee fidmjit the fact^ and, therefore, there was an attempt made for transference of .a befey of electors in block. ._ '■-■■ Mr. Lightbaud made no secret that he urged Mr. Saunders to eorae forward for NelsoD ; and did not conceal the circumstance that Mr. Saunders had at first stipulated that a good requisition should be obtained. These are Mr. Lightband's own words, very generally spoken, and wellknown in town. . ■ ■/■ Mr. Saunders appears to have a fondness for animal comparisons. He has employed the lion, the lamb, and the jackass in this fashion. Such zoological illustrations are not difficult of application even by humble intellects. Perhaps that is Mr. Saunders' method of making reparatiou for past harshness. In his speech, he "acknowledged with great humility that he had often supported and opposed measures in what was .very far from a judicious manner. Ho had said harder tilings than he need have said, and regretted having said things that might have wounded the feelings of his friends; &c, &c." Southey says, " the sin the devil likes best is the pride that apes humility," and I must say it is a curious effect that regret for hard judgments of others in the past, should fiftd issue in still more .unjust judgments in the present. I may be permitted to add that the importation of the other ccx into masculine disputations is an innovatioo, happily hitherto unknown; and I cannot divine the reason which led Mr. Sauuders so unnecessarily to parade the name- of one to whom not even the remotest allusion was made. I am, &c, . D. M. Luckie. Nelson, 22nd May, 1872.